Friday
June 17, 2011 / June 4, 2011
Afterfeast of Pentecost.
Tone seven.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
St. Metrophanes, first patriarch of Constantinople (325).
New Hieromartyr Peter priest (1918).New Martyrs: Archbishop Andronicus of Perm (1918) and Archbishop Basil of Chernigov (1918).
Venerable Methodius, abbot of Peshnosha (1392), disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh.Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian, and Silanus of Gaul (1st c.).Martyr Concordius of Spoleto (175).Hieromartyr Astius, bishop of Dyrrachium in Macedonia (110).Venerable Zosimas of Cilicia, bishop of New Babylon (Egypt) (6th c.).Hieromartyr Ioannicus, metropolitan of Montenegro and Littoral (1945).Sts. Mary and Martha, sisters of St. Lazarus (1st c.).Venerables Eleazar and Nazarius, wonderworkers of Olonets (15th c.).Venerable Sophia of Thrace (10th-11th c.).Venerable John, abbot of Monagria near Cyzicus (761).Venerable Alonius of Scete in Egypt (5th c.). St. Titus, bishop of Byzantium (3rd c.).Hieromartyr Apotacius and Martyrs Camarus, Zoticus, Gaddanus, Ninnitus, Julius, Attalus, Eutyches, Amasus, Carinus, Saturninus and 30 others, beheaded at Noviodunum in Scythia Minor (320).St. Optatus, bishop of Milevum in Numidia (376).St. Petroc of Cornwall (594) (Celtic & British).Words from the Abbot:
Those of you who have been reading my postings are aware that we get a lot of Evangelical Christians visiting our monastery. Many are seeking that which they sense is older and more stable than the present day expression of Evangelical Christian denominations. Some are finding the "entertainment" approach to worship is leaving them hungering for something more meaningful. These people often share their frustration with a form of Christianity that is constantly trying to reinvent worship in an attempt to bring in crowds. They sense in Orthodox Christianity an eternal and unchanging connection with the Early Church.
Orthodox worship, with it's otherworldly and mystical approach, makes many feel as though they've worshiped for the very first time. They recognized the Orthodox worship of the Holy Trinity is profound in ways they've never experienced before. I've even had visitors to the Sunday Divine Liturgy express a feeling like they've entered into a service where there is neither time nor space, and where God is experienced in a heavenly way. One Evangelical pastor even made the profound observation that he'd better love Orthodox worship, since heavenly worship is liturgical, as is evidenced by a reading of the Book of Revelation.
I have a special place in my heart for Evangelicals and admire their missionary efforts for bringing others to Christ. We Orthodox would do well to imitate their evangelical zeal and share with others the eternal truth that is found within the Orthodox Faith. It seems sad to me that we Orthodox rest in the assurance that we have the fullness of Absolute Truth, and are members of the very Church Christ founded, yet seem uninterested in reaching out to others and sharing the Pearl of Great Price. We've lost touch with the profound missionary history of our Church, one that brought Orthodoxy to all corners of the earth. In our attempts to preserve our ethnic traditions we've lost the vision of sharing Orthodox Tradition.
Orthodox worship, with it's otherworldly and mystical approach, makes many feel as though they've worshiped for the very first time. They recognized the Orthodox worship of the Holy Trinity is profound in ways they've never experienced before. I've even had visitors to the Sunday Divine Liturgy express a feeling like they've entered into a service where there is neither time nor space, and where God is experienced in a heavenly way. One Evangelical pastor even made the profound observation that he'd better love Orthodox worship, since heavenly worship is liturgical, as is evidenced by a reading of the Book of Revelation.
I have a special place in my heart for Evangelicals and admire their missionary efforts for bringing others to Christ. We Orthodox would do well to imitate their evangelical zeal and share with others the eternal truth that is found within the Orthodox Faith. It seems sad to me that we Orthodox rest in the assurance that we have the fullness of Absolute Truth, and are members of the very Church Christ founded, yet seem uninterested in reaching out to others and sharing the Pearl of Great Price. We've lost touch with the profound missionary history of our Church, one that brought Orthodoxy to all corners of the earth. In our attempts to preserve our ethnic traditions we've lost the vision of sharing Orthodox Tradition.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo of the Day:
We had lunch on Thursday with an old friend of mine from my Berkeley, CA. days. Archbishop Melchizedek is the 85 year old senior bishop, after the Ethiopian Patriarch, who's cathedral is in Oakland, CA.
Left to right: Monk Moses, Archbishop Loukas of Seattle, Archbishop Melchizedek, Abbot Tryphon (wearing Russian Old Rite monastic garb) and Hieromonk Gebre Silassie. Archbishop Melchizedek is considered to be a living saint and was once the Guardian of the Ark of the Covenant, which has been in the hands of the Ethiopians since the time of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba's son.
Scripture Readings for the Day:
Romans 2:14-29
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles
17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.Circumcision of No Avail
25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.Matthew 5:33-41
Jesus Forbids OathsGo the Second Mile
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
Click photo to enlarge.
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